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British Bookmakers Set to Make Record Contribution for Rights to Show Horse Racing

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British bookmakers are on track to make a record contribution to horse racing next year – with the bill for media rights forecast to increase by nearly £30m.

The Betting and Gaming Council’s five biggest members for horse race betting, Entain, Flutter, bet365, 888/William Hill and Betfred, expect to see a record cost increase to broadcast races.

In 2022, BGC members paid £270.1m for the rights to live stream races for customers and show them in bookmakers.

But that cost is forecast to rise to £285.3m this year, an increase of 5.6%, with members estimating a further increase to £315.2m in 2024, a further bump of 10.5%.

The combined increase for media rights costs is now expected to rise by 16.7% between 2022 and 2024.

The figures are based on data supplied by the Betting and Gaming Council’s five biggest members for horse race betting, then adjusted to include smaller operators, who must also pay for media rights.

Michael Dugher, CEO of Betting and Gaming Council, said: “BGC members are already making a record contribution to horse racing and these figures show that is only going to increase.

“This comes despite a reduction in betting turnover on racing in the last five years and a worrying decline in participation in horse race betting overall.

“Horse racing remains a hugely important, world-leading sport, enjoyed by millions of fans and like the betting industry it continues to support large numbers of jobs.

“I know racing is trying to modernise and reach out to new fans, while also trying to bounce back from the Covid pandemic and deal with some difficult economic headwinds, plus deal with the hit on its funding caused by the Government. The betting industry is dealing with many of the same pressures on our revenues and costs.

“The BGC and our members remain fully committed to working together with the leadership of the sport, including the BHA and others, to ensure a better future for racing. But the fact that we are making a record and growing contribution to the sport cannot be ignored.”

The forecast costs come after the BGC announced their members directly contributed £384m to British horse racing last year in levy, media rights and sponsorship deals.

These figures showed an increase on previous estimates for the regulated sector’s contribution, which had placed it at around £350m a year.

In addition, bookmakers spent £125m on marketing to promote racing and betting through advertisements and partnerships, which helps secure vital terrestrial coverage of the sport and raise revenue for print newspaper titles.

As well as the increased costs for media rights, levy payments are projected to be £99m in 2022/2023, according to the Horserace Betting Levy Board.

This record investment also enabled horse racing to use some of these revenues to deliver record prize money of £179.3m in 2022.

Horse racing is the second biggest sport in the UK, second only to football, with more than five million people attending around 1400 fixtures annually across 59 racecourses.

However, its popularity is in decline. In 2007, 17% of the population participated in horse race betting in the previous year, but that fell to 10% in 2018.

Meanwhile football overtook horse racing betting around the same time between 2017/2018.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has committed to reviewing the Horseracing Levy by next year.

The Horseracing Levy, which is administered by the Horserace Betting Levy Board, goes towards improving the sport, breeding and boosting veterinary care.

Betting operators are working closely with the British Horseracing Authority and racing stakeholders on much needed reforms to the fixture list and race programme which should increase commercial returns from the levy and media rights.

The regulated betting industry fully supports this once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernise horse racing so it can realise its full commercial potential.

The BGC is also working closely with the government on the proposed reforms from the White Paper to ensure those who enjoy betting can continue to do so without unnecessary intrusion, while introducing improved safeguards for the minority who struggle.

Betting shops currently support around 42,000 jobs, contribute £1bn a year in tax to the Treasury and another £60m in business rates to local councils.

The wider regulated betting and gaming industry contributes £7.1bn to the economy, generates £4.2bn in tax and supports 110,000 jobs.

In April DCMS unveiled the Government’s new White Paper on gambling reform, including a number of key measures the BGC had campaigned for.

Those included a new mandatory Ombudsman for the regulated sector, enhanced spending checks online and a new mandatory levy to fund research, education and treatment to tackle gambling related harm and problem gambling.

Each month in Great Britain around 22.5m adults have a bet and the most recent Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4% of the adult population are problem gamblers.

Meanwhile the unsafe, unregulated gambling black market online is growing in the UK, with the numbers betting on these sites doubling in recent years, and the amount staked in the billions.

Brazil

Esportes da Sorte campaign celebrates fans’ resilience in support of Brazil

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“Cheer Like a Corinthian”

 In a World Cup year, Corinthians’ master sponsor uses the unwavering loyalty of the club’s fanbase as an example.

Brazilians’ relationship with the national team and their passion for football take on a new perspective in a World Cup year.

Master sponsor of Corinthians, Esportes da Sorte reinforces the club supporters’ long-standing reputation for unconditional loyalty with the launch of the “Cheer Like a Corinthian” manifesto, a movement aimed at reconnecting Brazilian fans with the national team.

Created by Agência Brenda, the project seeks to redefine the term “to choke” (“amarelar” in Portuguese), transforming it into a call for unwavering belief and determination.

“The campaign draws inspiration from the symbolic strength of Corinthians fans and football’s power to emotionally unite the country.

The idea is to encourage Brazilian supporters to reconnect with the national team through values such as loyalty, presence, and unconditional support,” said Davi Oliveira, Sponsorships Head at Grupo Esportes Gaming Brasil, owner of the Esportes da Sorte brand. Watch the video here.

The campaign debuted on Sunday (10), airing on TV Globo during programs such as Em Família, Eliana, and Fantástico. Simultaneously, the video was displayed on the giant screen at Neo Química Arena during the Corinthians 3–2 São Paulo derby, valid for the 15th round of the Brazilian Championship.

To bring the concept to life, players entered the pitch wearing shirts featuring the phrase “Cheer Like a Corinthian,” which was also displayed across the stadium’s LED boards.

Fans received handheld banners in the stands, while a giant flag bearing the campaign slogan was unveiled by supporters.

Directed by Lucca Meloni and Adriano Alarcon (Nocandy), the film’s visual identity uses symbolic elements to reinforce a sense of persistence.

Rain appears in unexpected settings, while the soundtrack, based on authentic fan chants — creates an immersive sensory atmosphere.

The production also featured real supporters, including historian Fernando Wanner and iconic Corinthians fan Wanda Vitorino, adding authenticity to the message.

“This campaign was developed with great responsibility because we were entering sacred territory. Hearing from legendary players like Marcelinho Carioca that we were on the right path was extremely important,” said Raphael Pinteiro, partner at Agência Brenda.

“Our intention was to inspire Corinthians fans through pride while making supporters of other clubs agree with the message: Brazil’s supporters need this spirit and determination,” added Bernardo Barbosa, also a partner at the agency behind the campaign.

“Convoque” campaign

Also inspired by the World Cup, Esportes da Sorte launched the “Convoque” campaign on Friday (8), using the brand’s iconic blue hat as a portal to a playful universe.

The film features celebrities such as Léo Santana, Jojo Todynho, and Marcelinho Carioca, transforming the user journey into a fun and immersive experience while always promoting responsible gaming.

 Esportes da Sorte

Esportes da Sorte is one of Brazil’s leading sports betting platforms, operating entirely within the country and licensed by the Ministry of Finance (SPA/MF) under Esportes Gaming Brasil — the group that also owns the Onabet and Lottu brands.

The company belongs to a Great Place to Work-certified group and generates around 1,000 direct and indirect jobs. Its core pillars include innovation, responsible gaming, and support for market regulation.

Esportes da Sorte maintains strategic partnerships with institutions such as ANJL, IBIA, Sportradar, EBAC, and IAA, strengthening practices related to oversight, gambling harm prevention, and user protection.

Beyond sports betting, the company consistently invests in sports, culture, and social initiatives. It serves as master sponsor of clubs including Corinthians, Ceará, Ferroviária, and Náutico, while also supporting major cultural events such as Galo da Madrugada, Carnival celebrations in Recife, Olinda, Salvador, Maceió, Natal, Caicó, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, as well as the Parintins Festival.

The brand also expands its digital presence through creative campaigns and influencer partnerships, strengthening engagement with audiences across online platforms.

The post Esportes da Sorte campaign celebrates fans’ resilience in support of Brazil appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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¿Por qué Pix es central en la lucha contra el mercado ilegal de apuestas?

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Este artículo de opinión del CEO de Pay4fun, Leonardo Baptista, analiza por qué Pix se ha convertido en una de las herramientas más estratégicas para combatir el mercado ilegal de apuestas en Brasil y por qué el rastreo financiero puede ser más efectivo que simplemente bloquear sitios web.

Segun su publicación en el portal Poder360, existe actualmente una pregunta recurrente cuando hablamos del mercado de apuestas en Brasil: ¿por qué el sector ilegal sigue operando incluso después de la regulación?

La respuesta es simple y, al mismo tiempo, incómoda: porque aún no hemos abordado el problema de la forma más eficiente.

Durante mucho tiempo, los esfuerzos para combatir las apuestas ilegales se centraron en el bloqueo de sitios web. Es una medida importante, pero insuficiente.

La dinámica es conocida: se bloquea un dominio hoy, otro aparece mañana con pequeñas variaciones. Es una tarea casi interminable, a menudo descrita por el propio sector como “una lucha sin fin”.

Si realmente queremos ser efectivos, necesitamos cambiar el enfoque.

El camino es otro: seguir el dinero — y es precisamente aquí donde Brasil tiene una enorme ventaja competitiva: Pix.

Hoy, Pix es el único medio de pago aceptado en el mercado de apuestas del país. Por primera vez, esto proporciona a las autoridades un instrumento capaz no solo de rastrear, sino principalmente de interrumpir el flujo financiero que sostiene estas operaciones.

Cuando se corta el flujo de pagos, se corta el negocio.

Este movimiento ya ha comenzado.

La Secretaría de Premios y Apuestas (SPA) ahora cuenta con herramientas de fiscalización más estrictas contra instituciones que operan de forma ilegal. Las multas pueden alcanzar valores extremadamente significativos.

Al mismo tiempo, el Banco Central ha aumentado sustancialmente los requisitos para las instituciones de pago.

Este segundo punto es fundamental.

En los últimos años, Brasil ha sido testigo de la proliferación de instituciones más pequeñas, muchas veces con estructuras de control débiles.

Con requisitos más estrictos de capital, cumplimiento y prevención de lavado de dinero, muchas de estas operaciones han salido del mercado.

En la práctica, esto ya ha reducido el espacio para la actividad ilegal.

Pero aún no es suficiente. El mercado irregular sigue representando una parte significativa del sector: las apuestas ilegales representan actualmente entre el 41% y el 51% del mercado brasileño, según una investigación de Instituto Locomotiva y LCA Consultoria Econômica.

En otras palabras, estamos hablando de un enorme volumen de recursos que no generan impuestos, empleo ni protección al consumidor — pérdidas que podrían alcanzar hasta R$40 mil millones por año en ingresos fiscales, según las mismas estimaciones del sector.

Esto nos lleva a otro punto importante: no tiene sentido discutir aumentos de carga tributaria o restricciones adicionales para las empresas que operan dentro del mercado regulado mientras una parte tan grande continúa operando fuera de la ley.

Si aumenta la presión sobre los operadores regulados, el efecto es directo: los operadores — y muchas veces los propios usuarios — se desplazan hacia el mercado ilegal.

La forma más eficiente de aumentar la recaudación no es subir impuestos, sino traer la actividad ilegal al mercado legal. Si eso ocurre, el sector regulado prácticamente se duplicaría en tamaño y, con ello, también los impuestos recaudados.

Por eso, el enfoque debe ser claro: fiscalización.

La supervisión de los medios de pago, proveedores y operadores en ambos lados del mercado es esencial. Ya no hay espacio para empresas que permanezcan “en la zona gris”, atendiendo simultáneamente al mercado regulado y al ilegal.

Otro punto que necesita avanzar es la integración regulatoria.

El Banco Central y la Secretaría de Premios y Apuestas deben trabajar cada vez más en conjunto. La lucha contra la ilegalidad depende directamente de esta coordinación.

Brasil ha construido un modelo regulatorio sólido para las apuestas en relativamente poco tiempo. El mercado está funcionando, generando ingresos, empleo y protección al usuario.

Ahora el país entra en una nueva fase: la consolidación.

En esta etapa, no debe haber dudas sobre dónde concentrar los esfuerzos.

La lucha contra el mercado ilegal no ocurrirá en la superficie, simplemente eliminando sitios web. Ocurrirá a través de los flujos financieros. Pix nos da esa posibilidad.

Quizás sea la herramienta más poderosa que tenemos hoy.

La pregunta no es si puede ayudar. La verdadera pregunta es hasta qué punto estamos dispuestos a utilizarla de forma efectiva.

Leonardo Baptista

Es CEO y cofundador de Pay4Fun, una institución de pago reconocida por su tecnología, seguridad y prevención del lavado de dinero en el mercado regulado de apuestas en Brasil.

Con más de 20 años de experiencia en los sectores de gaming y tecnología de la información, creó en 2004 el primer bingo online del país. En 2022 fue nombrado uno de los 10 CEOs más inspiradores por CIO Business Review.

The post ¿Por qué Pix es central en la lucha contra el mercado ilegal de apuestas? appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Flashscore tops speed rankings in UK fan survey ahead of 2026 World Cup

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Flashscore has been ranked the fastest sports results platform by UK fans, according to new research into how audiences consume live sport.

In the UK survey of 2,000 sports fans, 46% identified Flashscore as the quickest platform. Flashscore said the pattern was similar in Italy, where 49% of 2,000 respondents named Flashscore the fastest, and in Brazil, where 53% of 3,300 participants reached the same conclusion.

Respondents also associated Flashscore with reliability. In Italy, Flashscore (known locally as Diretta) was recognised as being more accurate than competitors and national broadcasters’ platforms, while in the UK and Brazil it was recognised as being equal to or close to competitors and national broadcasters’ platforms.

Flashscore Director of Engineering Tomáš Kavka said: “It is not one magic technology that solves everything, it is a lot of small and larger right decisions over time.

“Serving a user in South America from Europe is technically possible, but speed is in our DNA. If we want to be the fastest on every continent, we need to be as close as possible to the user. And the data needs to reach that location the moment it appears in our database.”

The company said it continues to scale globally in its 20th year since launch, reporting more than 125 million monthly users worldwide, more than 400 million app downloads across its portfolio, and approximately 145 billion monthly impressions. Flashscore also reported over four million UK downloads, more than two billion monthly impressions, and average daily time spent close to 30 minutes. On infrastructure, Flashscore said it moved to a new data centre in Prague in 2024, tripling processing capacity, and uses a distributed cloud architecture. It added that during a major Champions League matchday earlier this season it handled 34 million users in a day, delivered 700 million notifications, and processed up to 1.3 million requests per second.

The post Flashscore tops speed rankings in UK fan survey ahead of 2026 World Cup appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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